Risk Team Lead

Company Overview

Wise is a global technology company building the best way to move and manage the world’s money. Whether people and businesses are sending money to another country, spending abroad, or making and receiving international payments, Wise is on a mission to make their lives easier and save them money. As part of our team, you will be helping us create an entirely new network for the world's money.

We’re looking for a Risk Team Lead who will develop and oversee the daily operations of a team of Risk Specialists. Your team is responsible for mitigating risks associated with high risk customers, with a specific emphasis on Correspondent Banking environments. This area has a strong focus on maintaining compliance with AML/CFT regulations, and internal policies according to Wise’s risk appetite.

You will act as a leader who balances regulatory safety with operational speed and commercial impact. You are not just a manager; you are a subject matter expert who unblocks the team and commercial opportunities, architects career development, and aligns daily tasks with Wise’s long‑term mission.

• Lead by example, driving a customer‑focused mindset while refining the high‑level Wise mission into daily operational focus and priorities.
• Promote a culture of ownership and accountability, ensuring the team distinguishes between routine urgencies and true impact.
• Operational Excellence:
  Set the cultural and professional standard for the team, ensuring seamless execution of Business‑as‑Usual (BAU) operations.

• Coach and develop a strong team; lead the hiring funnel and create robust training curriculums to ensure new members are set up for success from day one.
• Project
  
  Coaching:
  
  Support team members in driving their own initiatives, ensuring they have resources to succeed and remain accountable to timelines.
• Conduct career map check‑ins and design development plans to architect the long‑term growth of your analysts.

• Unblock the Team:
  Use expertise to advise analysts on risk‑based decisions, handling findings, and setting mitigation actions to manage risk confidently.
• Control Design:
  Coach the team to evaluate and recommend monitoring controls based on inherent risks identified during onboarding.
• Audit Excellence:
  Ensure the team maintains a meticulous end‑to‑end audit trail for all risk decisions and processes.
• Procedural Implementation:
  Adopt and implement procedural changes, ensuring the team is aligned in their day‑to‑day work.

• KPI & SLA Accountability:
  Use data proficiency to set, track, and report on performance, ensuring BAU is handled with accuracy and quality.
• Conduct regular 1:1 coaching sessions and team meetings to share best practices and maintain high team spirit.

• Strategic Risk Leadership:
  Make high‑stakes, calculated risk decisions and coach the team to develop the same level of professional judgment.
• Commercial‑Compliance Calibration:
  Strategize by grasping the commercial impact of the team’s work, solving for friction while maintaining safety.
• Assist senior leadership with audits and proactively identify where controls are needed to support future scale.

• Strategic De‑escalation:
  Navigate challenging situations by focusing on core issues to reach resolutions.
• Persuasive Framing:
  Tailor conversations to demonstrate impact—from a risk perspective for 2
  
  LOD to a growth perspective for Commercial stakeholders.
• Navigating Blockers:
  Facilitate difficult discussions with internal and external partners; use challenge/pushback/influence to achieve goals.
• Strategic Risk Tolerance:
  Guide tolerance conversations with 1
  
  LOD and 2
  
  LOD to ensure the organization is comfortable with the risk‑to‑growth ratio.

• Industry
  
  Experience:
  
  Minimum 4+ years of experience in financial crime and/or compliance, specifically within a Correspondent Banking environment.
• Leadership
  
  Experience:
  
  At least 1‑2 years of experience scaling and managing high‑performing teams.
• Communication:
  Excellent…